


Nowhere To Go, Nothing To Do

by snapealina



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-19
Updated: 2016-02-19
Packaged: 2018-05-21 16:24:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6058063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snapealina/pseuds/snapealina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened right after Ron left Hermione and Harry in the woods in Deathly Hallows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nowhere To Go, Nothing To Do

**Author's Note:**

> Written in 2009/2010 after a prompt (same as the title) from a friend.
> 
> Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JKR, that brilliant woman...

How could Hermione have chosen Harry over him? Ron was sick of this! Sick of them! Ever since he was eleven his life had revolved around Harry Potter. Some might say he was jealous of his friend, and so what? Who could blame him? He knew that Harry hadn’t exactly had an easy life himself, but that didn’t mean that he could just boss people around like that and think that they would put up with it forever. Especially when he didn’t even have a plan! Ron was frustrated. Of course he wanted to help his friend and of course he wanted to get rid of the Horcruxes. He never believed it to be easy, but he never imagined it would be anything like this. And on top of everything he had managed to splinch himself again while he was escaping the Snatchers.  
  
Ron walked fast paced through the forest, breaking of branches that came in his path. He grabbed one and started hitting the air around him. How could his friends do this to him? How could they have abandoned him like this? Yes, he was well aware that he was the one that had physically left, but they left him the second they went against him. He still couldn’t believe that Hermione chose Harry over him, after all the talks they’ve had lately.  
  
He knew that Hermione was just as frustrated as him, but she hadn’t left. She stayed. She stayed with her friend as she had promised. This wasn’t easy on any of them, and now Harry and Hermione was alone in the hunt for the Horcruxes. Ron suddenly felt terrible for leaving. He had to go back to them; he had to find them, to tell them he was sorry for leaving. But here he was, his arm in a sling and two fingernails missing, looking for the tent or any sign of his friends, but he couldn’t see them anywhere… He stopped and listened closely for sounds that could point him in the right direction, but nothing…  
  
He knew that the wards they had put up around the campsite were making it impossible to find, but he had half-hoped that he would be able to get back since he was inside the area when they put them up. He tried calling for them, hoping they would come to him, but there was no response. After walking in something he thought was some sort of a circle for over two hours, Ron realized that he wasn’t able to get back to his friends.  
  
He collapsed on the ground, tears streaming down his face. What was he going to do now? Where would he go? He couldn’t go back, and he couldn’t go home. He couldn’t stand the thought of explaining why he was coming home, and why he was alone. To admit that he had left his friends, that he was a coward and selfish…  
  
He tried to think of other places to go. He certainly couldn’t go to Hogwarts, even if he had a feeling that one of the Horcruxes were there. And Grimmauld Place was no longer safe either.  
  
Then he thought of Bill and Fleur. He could go there? It was easier to talk to Bill than any other member of his family. Bill was always the cool big brother. He was also a curse breaker. He would know what to do, and how to get back to Harry and Hermione.  
  
Ron got up, wiped his tears and concentrated really hard before apparating to Shell Cottage.  
  
\--------------  
  
“Ron? What are you…? Where’s Harry? Are you OK?” Bill looked absolutely terrified when his brother suddenly stood outside his front door. Ron merely nodded and looked at the ground. “Can I come in?” Bill took a step back and let his little brother inside. Ron didn’t say a word; he just dropped down on the sofa and stared at the floor.  
  
Bill sat down in a chair next to him. “Ron?” he asked after a couple of minutes. “What happened?”  
  
Ron couldn’t get a word out. He felt a big lump grow in his thought every time he tried to speak.  
  
But Bill wouldn’t let it go. “Is Harry alive, Ron?” Ron nodded. “And Hermione?” Ron nodded again. ”Are they both OK?” Ron nodded a third time. Bill sighed with relief.  
  
“Are you OK, Ron?” Ron didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say. Physically he was fine, but on the inside the guilt was eating him hollow. He had betrayed his two best friends, and now there was nothing he could do to make up for it.  
  
Bill looked at his little brother, and saw that there was no use talking about this right now. He went into the kitchen and asked Fleur to get the guestroom ready and went back to his brother with a cup of tea and some sandwiches.  
  
“Here, eat this. You looked starved.”  
  
Ron grabbed one of the sandwiches reluctantly. He was starving, but somehow it felt wrong to eat. He felt guilty for actually having food while his friends were starving in the woods.  
  
“Fleur is making your bed in the guestroom, get some rest and we’ll talk more tomorrow.” Bill put an arm on Ron’s shoulder and squeezed it lightly.  
  
Ron nodded, and slowly ate his food.  
  
\--------------  
  
It had been four days since Ron had apperated to Shell Cottage, and the two brothers had finally talked about what happened. Bill was disappointed in Ron for leaving his friends, but then again so was Ron… He didn’t expect Bill to approve when he didn’t approve himself. But Bill also saw that Ron really regretted leaving and wanted to get back to his friends, so he had promised to help him try to find a way back although they both knew that this was an almost invisible task.  
  
Ron was grateful that Bill and Fleur had taken him in, and that they had promised not to tell anyone that he was staying there. Ron knew that if anyone found out, his mother would turn up within minutes ready to yell at him, and Fred and George would never let him get away with this.  
  
In return for their hospitality, Ron tried his best at helping out around the cottage. He was no cook, but he tried at least to make breakfast once in a while and do the dishes after. He didn’t want to be any trouble. At night he, Bill and Fleur sat in the living room discussing how to get Ron back to his two best friends.  
  
One rainy night when Bill and Ron were sitting in the living room talking about where Harry and Hermione would most likely go next, there was a knock on the door.  
  
They both froze. Who could it be? Ron quickly got up, and ran upstairs to hide. What if someone found out he was here?  
  
Bill waited until he was sure Ron was out of sight and well in his room before opening the door.  
  
Outside stood a drenched and sad-looking Remus Lupin. Bill let him in, immediately. Remus had prior been a regular guest at Shell Cottage, but it had been a while since the last time Bill had seen him.  
  
Remus dropped down on the sofa, just as Ron had done a week ago. He was looking just as miserable as Ron had. Bill sat down next to him. “Want to talk about it?” he just asked. Remus shook his head. Bill understood. They had been through this before.  
  
Fleur came into the room to see who had knocked on the door. And when she saw the two men on the couch she went straight into the kitchen and got two glasses and a bottle of Firewhiskey.  
  
“I’m going to bed,” she whispered to Bill and kissed him goodnight. Bill nodded back and whispered to his wife. ”Get Ron, would you?” Fleur nodded and went upstairs.  
  
A confused Ron came wandering down the stairs a minute later. Why did Bill want him to come downstairs? Had the person that knocked left already? He walked into the living room and his stomach plummeted when he saw Remus Lupin sitting on the sofa.  
  
“Lupin?” Ron burst out without thinking. Remus turned his head and saw Ron standing in the doorway. He had the exact same expression on his face as the redhead and was just as shocked. “Ron?”  
  
They just stared at each other for a while. Neither spoke and neither moved. Bill looked puzzled. What was going on here? Was there something going on that he didn’t know about?  
  
“Sit down, Ron,” he finally said. Ron did as he was told and sat down in the sofa on the opposite side, although he really didn’t want to meet Remus Lupin right now. Remus Lupin seemed to think the exact same thing.  
  
Bill got up to find another glass for Ron, and left the two alone for a little while.  
  
You could cut the tension in the air with a knife. The two men seemed equally uncomfortable in each other presence, both thinking about their last meeting.  
  
Remus was the first to speak.  
  
“So… how are things?” His face contracted as soon as the words left his mouth. Had he really said that?  
  
“OK, I guess,” Ron replied just as stupid.  
  
Then the awkward silence was back.  
  
Bill stood in the door opening looking at the two. He had really no idea what was going in on between his brother and his friend, but something was definitely not right. He entered the living room, gave the glass to Ron and poured some firewhiskey to all of them.  
  
All three shot their glass simultaneously. And then Bill spoke.  
  
“Ok, you guys. I have no idea what the deal is with you two, but now both of you have come to my home looking equally lost and miserable, neither willing to talk about it, and now something is definitely weird between you two. I demand some sort of explanation.”  
  
He looked at his brother, who didn’t return the glaze. Then to Remus, which did the same.  
  
Bill poured another round of whiskey, took a sip from his own glass and looked at his two guests. “Well?” he asked. “”Which of you will talk first?”  
  
No one answered.  
  
“Ok, then. I’ll go first,” Bill said after minutes of silence.  
  
“Ron, I brought you down here to meet Remus because I thought maybe it would cheer the both of you up a bit. Remus, I let you know that Ron was here because I trust that you won’t tell anyone.”  
  
Remus looked at the two brothers and nodded in agreement. He wouldn’t tell.  
  
Ron, didn’t take his eyes of the carpet. He didn’t dare to meet anyone’s eyes.  
  
“Ron, do you mind me telling Remus why you are here?”  
  
For the first time Ron looked up and at his brother. He looked terrified, and shook his head vigorously.  
  
“Maybe he can help…” Bill continued.  
  
Remus’ eyes lit up, something Bill noticed at once. He knew that his friend liked to feel useful and that he was always ready to help.  
  
Bill ignored Ron’s shaking head and told Remus everything about how Ron had appeared at the cottage a week ago, what had happened and that they were looking for a way for Ron to return to his friends.  
  
Ron got more and more nervous by each sentence, and his glass was soon empty.  
  
He was worried of what Lupin’s reaction would be. The last time they had met, he wanted to come with them, but Harry refused, it all got pretty ugly, and they hadn’t had any contact with Lupin ever since. Here they sat. One man that desperately wanted to go with them, to help them without even knowing what the mission was, and one boy, a coward that had the chance to help his friend and that had left him and failed everyone.  
  
But Bill was surprised by Remus’ look. The more he told of Ron’s story, the darker Remus’ eyes became. This wasn’t exactly how he thought it would go, and when Remus didn’t speak after Bill had asked him if he had any ideas, he gave up.  
  
“Fine you, two,” he drank the last drops from his glass and rose from the sofa. “The two of you can just sit here being miserable. I’m going to bed. Enjoy your moping.”  
  
\---------  
  
Ron and Remus sat in the living room in complete silence for an hour after Bill left. The only movement they did was to refill their glasses.  
  
Finally Remus had built up enough courage to take the first step. He cleared his throat and spoke. “So… how is the mission going?”  
  
Ron looked surprised. He was so sure that Lupin would yell at him, or at least interrogate him on why he had left. But he was merely asking how they were doing. Ron was confused.  
  
“Not so good,” he admitted.  
  
“I don’t suppose you can tell me what this mission is?” Remus continued.  
  
Ron shook his head. “We promi…”  
  
“Promised Dumbledore, yes I know.” Remus sighed.  
  
They fell back to complete silence. Their eyes met briefly once in a while. Both of them wanted to speak, but neither could.  
  
“I’m sorry,” both spoke at the same time, and a small smile appeared on both faces.  
  
“I’m sorry Harry was so hard on you.” Ron blurted out. “You know him, he gets like that sometimes. It’s not that we didn’t want help, it’s just that we promised Dumbledore, and we didn’t exactly know what to do, and then there was Tonks and the baby, and Harry…”  
  
“It’s OK, Ron. I understand. Harry was right. I have obligations here, I couldn’t just leave them. I just wished you would tell us about your mission, so that we could help you.”  
  
“I can see that, Professor, but we couldn’t tell.”  
  
“Please, Ron, it’s Remus.” Remus chuckled.  
  
”Remus then,” Ron felt weird calling him that, but also knew that he hadn’t been his professor for years.  
  
The conversation fell silent once more. Both men sat in complete silence, staring into separate walls.  
  
“It’s just that I feel so useless, you know” Remus finally admitted.  
  
Ron looked at him.  
  
“Useless?”  
  
“Well, yes. Sitting here like and old man while you kids are out there doing something purposeful. Fighting.”  
  
“I can assure you that we haven’t done much fighting.” Ron laughed. “And you’re not old.”  
  
“I certainly feel like it.” Remus sighed. “And what’s that about not fighting? What about the scene at the Ministry? What was that then?”  
  
Ron felt his cheeks redden.  
  
“Oh, that… well that was…” Ron didn’t even know what to call it. It was complete chaos, that’s what it was, but he guessed Remus was right that they have actually done some fighting, and that they had managed to do something useful, even if it didn’t turn out quite as they had hoped.  
  
This only made Ron feel even worse about himself. They had been doing something, and here he sat. He had abandoned his friends and accused Harry for not doing anything…  
  
Remus saw Ron’s reaction.  
  
”What’s the matter, Ron?”  
  
”You’re not the only one that feels useless.”  
  
Remus rose from his seat and sat down next to Ron in the other sofa.  
  
“Talk to me, Ron.” He demanded.  
  
Ron hesitated for a moment, but decided that when he had said this much already, it would hurt to admit some more.  
  
He poured his heart out to his former professor. How he, Harry and Hermione had been moving around the country, how hungry they had been, how the “fight” didn’t turn out anything like he’d expected it to, how it all felt completely pointless. How he had yelled at Harry and how hurt he was when Hermione didn’t stand up for him. How he had left them there. All alone. How he had regretted it ever since, but couldn’t find his way back. How the guilt kept eating him inside and how useless he felt. How he had let his two best friends down. How he had let himself down.  
  
Remus sat next to the redhead, listening to every single word the poor boy spoke. He couldn’t help but think that they had a lot more in common than they knew. No wonder Bill wanted them to meet.  
  
Remus too felt that he had let Harry down. First because he couldn’t come with them, later because they had argued and hadn’t talked since. Harry was his best friend’s son and godson, and he had let him down. He told Ron this, and saw that the boy didn’t look quite as embarrassed as for dumping all of his frustrations on him.  
  
He picked up his glass and nodded to Ron to do the same. Ron grabbed his own. Remus raised his glass and said.  
  
“Here’s to us! The two most useless beings on this planet. Cheers!”  
  
Ron couldn’t help but laugh. “We are pathetic, aren’t we?” he asked his former professor.  
  
“Yes, we are,” Remus Lupin chuckled. “And it’s about time that we did something about it, don’t you think?”  
  
The two men looked at each other and Ron nodded.  
  
“But how?” he asked Remus.  
  
“Get some coffee, I’ll get some quills and parchments. We need to make a plan!” Remus stood up, swishing his finger like some superhero that just had an idea on how to save the world.  
  
Ron laughed. “Right on, Professor.” Then he went to the kitchen to make some coffee.  
  
\-----  
  
When Fleur Weasley came downstairs the next morning, she found two sleeping men on her sofa. Next to them was a table full of empty whiskey-glasses, coffee mugs, quills, ink and a parchment...

 

[ ](http://s954.photobucket.com/user/snapealina/media/newbeginnings001.jpg.html)


End file.
